Generally, an automatic changer apparatus comprises a reproduction, i.e., read, apparatus, for playback of recorded pieces carried on various carriers, such as cassettes or discs, contained in a magazine and a loading and transfer mechanism for the selection and positioning of the recorded carriers relative to the reproduction device, enabling playback of the various carriers contained in the magazine.
Electrical and/or electronic commands allow the programming of the order of playback of the various carriers and possibly the order of playback of the various recorded pieces or parts carried by each carrier.
Generally, the recorded carriers and more particularly the compact discs with digital read out have pieces recorded by one artist. Accordingly, continuous or selective playback of such recorded carriers in a changer becomes tiresome for one must listen to ten or twelve songs or recorded pieces of music of the same artist before the changer goes on to the next selected disc for reproducing a roughly equivalent number of pieces of another artist. To remedy this drawback, it has been proposed to have, in addition to commands allowing selection of the disc playback order, commands allowing selection of the pieces which one wishes to hear on each disc, but previous attempts to accomplish this have not been found satisfactory.
In fact, in addition to the fact that a user is required to know or to remember the various pieces on the various discs contained in the automatic changer magazine, the user also has to perfectly recall the sequence in which the automatic changer must be programmed. As may be seen, with the exception of knowledgeable technicians, it is unlikely that a user would succeed in using such programming and safety precludes use of such equipment mounted in motor vehicles.